WEEK 12: DOPPELGANGERS ARE LIVING AMONG US

“I Live With You” by Carol Emshwiller was quite a wild ride. This short story had me totally hooked from the very first sentence, and it kept me going until the last. At first I thought it was going to be a story told from a mouse’s perspective, or some kind of small creature that lives in houses. I am so glad that my first impression was completely off. This story had such a mysterious and suspense-like structure. It also had a bit of a rhythm at some parts because the author repeated the word “you” a lot to compare the main character and the unsuspecting woman. I haven’t seen the film yet, but the story felt similar to the premise of “Us” by Jordan Peele. The scary feeling of having someone out there looking just like you, and then coming to take over your life is haunting to say the least. At least in this story the doppelganger leaves the woman alone, though we are unsure of where she’s headed next.

I really liked the way that the doppelganger was telling the events of the woman’s life. The detailed descriptions of her everyday life made it obvious that she was always watching her, as creepy as that seemed. Notes like watching the same programs and wearing red leather pants brought so much more specificity, which greatly enhanced the eeriness of the whole story. I assumed that the main character is an antagonistic woman, but honestly she could have been anything. Reading this made me feel like you shouldn’t live your life too comfortably and isolated like the woman did. Perhaps the doppelganger was a sign for change, and that actually helped the woman redirect her life to be more open and a part of the community. The only reason why the doppelganger targeted her was because she was disconnected from society, so she was an easy target to follow without looking suspicious. For me, I definitely felt the need to go out and live my best life after reading this. You never know when a doppelganger is going to come live with you at your house and invite strange men over for entertainment.

- ☽Stacy Moon☾